Seras of the Selkies
by Shadows' Nightmare
Summary: Seras is a seal maiden who is rescued by Alucard after being captured by cruel humans. Unable to return to the sea after her sealskin is destroyed, she must rely on Alucard if she is to survive on land. AxS (This story is complete. I am literally out of ideas for it. I'm so sorry.)
1. Chapter 1

I'm combining my favorite legend with my favorite anime. Joy! :D

Disclaimer: I do not own Hellsing and I did not make up the Selkie legend.

* * *

The moon hung low and full over the ocean, casting romantic hues over the world of the night. Business had brought Alucard to this sleepy sea-side village earlier that night, and so he walked slowly by the water, enjoying the view… and the solitude.

"How beautiful," Alucard whispered to himself, gazing at the moon. "Nights like these make me want to have a bite to drink. Yes, I could not imagine a more… _perfect_ night."

Far out in the harbor, a young female was having trouble with unwanted pursuers. She swam as fast and as far as she could to get away from them, but it did little good, for they could run on the rocks and she was tired.

"Fell beast!"

She felt another stab. She let out a cry of pain, which drowned in the waves. She could feel her life substance flowing away, but she could not stay where she was, and so she dived. She went as far as she could without being seen, and finally she lost them at the cove. But she still did not feel safe, and so she kept moving until she made it to the rocks under the open moon, where she could see if anyone approached.

She slumped against the boulders, exhausted, but she was not out of danger yet. She had to get the blades out. She tried and tried, but nothing worked. Finally, she let go of her pride and slowly, slowly, she slipped out of her pelt, and grasped at them with her hands. She let out a cry of agony as she pulled the last one out of her back, and then she relaxed, panting exhaustedly, and threw it against the rocks. That was the last of them.

She slumped against her pelt. She was tired, so tired; all she wanted to do was sleep.

"Well, well, what have we here?"

She gasped and looked up. There was a man standing on the rock above her. How did she not hear him coming?

"It's very dangerous for a woman to be out alone at this time of night," he said. She recognized him. He had killed her friend earlier that night, right in front of her. How did he _find_ her? "It might give a man… _ideas_." He grabbed her breast.

She pulled away and tried to flee. He only laughed and snapped his fingers. More men appeared and blocked her path. She looked back at their leader fearfully.

He laughed. "There's no use running!"

She hissed, and began throwing small rocks at him; but her aim was terrible, and soon he was upon her. He leered over her. His teeth were sharp and pointed. He grabbed both of her wrists.

"It won't help you to struggle love." So saying, he pulled out her fur. It was worse than being groped. She gasped in horror.

"That's right," the man said. "Your pelt belongs to me now. And that means you belong to me too."

She snarled, then slapped him so hard his head spun; but he only laughed.

"They say that whoever can capture the hide of a Selkie would have it in their power, to command as they would. All I want are devoted slaves… but I have no intention of making you my wife."

She gasped as he forced her down unto the rocks and settled between her legs.

"I'm going to rape you." He thrust his hips against hers to prove his point. "And then I'll let my men have their way as I take my time killing you. I'll cut you up piece by piece, and I'll make you watch as I throw those pieces into the ocean for the sharks to feast on. Even when you're nothing but a stump and a head, I'll continue until there's nothing of you left." He pressed his whole body against hers, and whispered in her ear, "My slave in life and in death."

She let out a scream of despair that echoed all along the beach.

"Hold it." said a stranger who immerged from the shadows. "I think you've had enough fun."

All eyes turned to look at him. "What the hell?!" they exclaimed.

"Youngsters these days," the stranger said, "They're so... common. Whatever happened to moral values? Nothing more than the town punk."

Anyone could tell by looking at this stranger that he was anything but common. He was decked in all red, but he wore a wide hat and a long coat to cover his body, and gloves and boots over his hands and feet, and yellow sunglasses over his eyes so they seemed to glow in the dark. The girl had seen many a man in her life; on the sea and in the land, over boats and under water, but never had she seen one as strange as this.

"Who the hell are you?!" her captor snapped.

"Your death," the stranger said cryptically.

"My death?" her captor laughed. "Really? Are you serious? Oh this is pathetic."

"You are the last person who should be calling _anyone_ pathetic," said the stranger.

"What did you just say?" her captor snapped. "Do you have any idea who you're talking to?!"

"As a matter of fact, I do." The stranger staggered forward; his body moved like it had a life of its own. "You are a pathetic piece of shit human being; a nobody who saunters around like a king in an abandoned beach to feel important; a weakling who attacks a defenseless girl to feel powerful, and even then you must be accompanied by countless minions; a coward, incompetent, and incapable of doing _anything_ on your own. You're not even worthy of the lowest pits of hell!"

"Just kill him!" her captor snapped his fingers.

And just like that they all shot at him all together. It was like seeing someone being executed before a firing squad. When they finally ran out of bullets he fell in a pool of his own blood.

"I guess someone was all talk!" her captor laughed like a maniac.

Soon the stranger was laughing right alongside him, and sprang up in arguably better condition than before. "Is that the best you can do?" And then he proceeded to take out all of the minions one by one.

"I…impossible!" their leader said. And yet they all went down like flies.

The girl said nothing as she watched. It was marvelous, the way the way the stranger fought. His coat had unbuttoned so she could see his impeccable suit underneath, and his sunglasses fell from his eyes so she could see his face, and so now she had a better look at him. She had seen many a man in her life; feared them, as she would; fled from their hooks and their spears and their clubs. But never had she seen one so glorious handsome as Alucard.

"But… why?" her captor said, "We're both men! Why go to so much trouble for one measly little girl?!" He glared at her like it was _her_ fault.

"Do not put me in the same league as you." The stranger snapped. "You act more like a cockroach than a man. Left on your own you would breed more filth like yourself into this world. Besides, I have other reasons for seeing to your demise."

The stranger pointed his gun at the leader. "Die!"

"Not so fast," the man said. He propped the maiden in front of him like a shield and pressed his knife against her throat. "You'll have to kill the girl to get to me. She's the reason for all this fuss, no? You wouldn't want her to die, would you?"

The stranger said nothing. His eyes were focused on the girl. He smirked at her. "Are you a Selkie, my dear?"

All the color rushed to the girl's face.

"What are you going on about?" her captor said.

"I asked if you're a Selkie," the stranger said more forcefully.

"Mmm…" She gulped as a bead of sweat trickled down her face.

"Enough of this!" her captor snapped, "What difference does it make?!"

"Answer me!" the stranger aimed his gun.

"Y-yes!" the girl shut her eyes tight. "I-I am!"

A shot fired. The girl and her captor's eyes widened. The stranger drew his sword as the girl went down like a ton of bricks. Her captor coughed blood onto her pelt as they were both slashed to ribbons.

The girl lay face up in the rocks as the tattered remains of her pelt sprinkled over her. The many stab wounds had reopened, and the passing waves washed the blood out of them. She was too cold, too tired, too drained to move, and it was getting worse with each wave. The stranger approached.

"I had to rip through your pelt to get to his heart," the stranger said. "I'm sorry, but you will never swim in the ocean again."

It was like hearing her death sentence. She cried salt water tears, which were swept away by the salt water waves… along with her life substance.

"You don't have much time," the stranger said. He smirked down at her. "What will you do?"

The Selkie blinked.

-

Later on that night the villagers watched as Alucard approached, carrying a young girl wrapped in a brown blanket as delicately as if she were his bride. There was something about the girl that they did not trust, what with her short wild blonde hair, and her skin that was so smooth and pale that it seemed to have never seen daylight on its surface. But most of all they distrusted her eyes, blue as the bottomless ocean; and, indeed, they appeared bottomless now, dazed and unfocused as she stared out at nothing in particular. There was something strange about this girl, and since no one in the village had seen her before, they were especially sensitive to that.

But then, the same could be said for her escort.

A village woman approached them. "Back from your evening walk, Sir?"

The stranger stopped in front of her. "Yes, this has been a beautiful night."

The woman nodded mutely, but her eyes went back to the beautiful girl in his arms. She seemed to be in a daze, almost asleep while she was awake. "We'll have someone take care of her."

"No," the stranger said. "I want you to get the carriage ready; the night is young, and we must make haste if we are to be home before the seal girl wakes up."

The girl snapped her head up, as if she knew he was talking about her. The woman stared, but went to do as she was told without making any comments. The other villagers, however, set their tongues a wagging about the oddity of it all. The seal girl looked at the stranger like she wanted to say something, but no words came out.

"This was a perfect night," he said to her, gently. "Right?"

The seal girl did not agree in the least, but she allowed herself to relax in this stranger's arms, and together they gazed at the moon until it was time to go home.


	2. Chapter 2

Wow, people really like this fic; I thought it would flop like a dead fish. Still, keeping up with the first chapter's success is no easy task.

Disclaimer: I do not own Hellsing or a Selkie pelt.

* * *

Seras opened her eyes, and found herself lying alone on an endless white beach with no ocean.

'Um… where am I?' she thought as she looked around.

Then suddenly the ground caved under her belly, creating a small river and a lot of dust. Out of the ground sprang dozens of dirty ugly fishermen, armed with spears and clubs, all looking at her.

"Look at that!" they slurred.

"It's a fish!"

"A fish?"

"Uh… a seal!"

"Get it!"

Seras panicked and flopped like a mad seal into the stream. But the river was too shallow for her to dive, and the humans could run so easily on the sand beside the water. If she were in the ocean she could loose them, but here she had nowhere to hide, and all she could do was try to out swim them.

'Oh no!' Seras thought with terror as they chased her. 'I'll be clubbed! I'll be speared! I'll be skinned! I'll be made into a lovely lady's purse, whatever that is!'

Suddenly she bumped her nose into something hard yet soft, and all thoughts of her pursuers vanished as she looked upon the face of her rescuer. He looked so dark and mysterious against the light setting. Her eyes widened in recognition.

"Seal Girl," he said, "How does it feel to be alive?"

What a funny question!

"Still," he said, a smirk forming on his lips. "The choice was all yours…"

He looked at her in a hungry way. She looked down at herself in confusion, and realized with horror that she became a woman before his eyes. She looked back at him fearfully.

His coat fluttered in the wind. "…To walk the land as a human being." He concluded, circling her and so they were both engulfed in that red coat.

His actions made her very nervous; he reminded her of a hungry orca circling an injured seal, waiting for the right moment to strike. She could scarcely breathe as he moved in for the kill, leaning down so that his mouth was near her neck, parting his lips to reveal the sharp pointed teeth beneath. He was! He was an orca about to devour her!

Seras found her human voice and screamed.

Seras bolted awake, panting heavily. She looked around. She was alone in a small hole, there was no one around, there was nothing to be afraid of. Suddenly she thought of her body, and slowly, suspiciously looked down. Seeing only fur she sighed with relief.

And then she noticed the orca leering at her.

He was sitting right next to her. They stared at each other a long time. Then she let out a little cry of fright. He only smirked and moved to the rock across from her.

"Little Selkie," he said, "How does it feel now that you're a woman?"

The cold weight of dread pressed down on her heart. "Uh… Wha…?" She made questioning sounds in the back of her throat.

He gestured toward her pelt, "See for yourself."

Alarmed, she inspected her figure once more. The pelt fell away, revealing a body she did not recognize. She saw bare white skin, two huge mounds on the chest, and four long gangly limbs; the body of a human.

Seras flew back, screaming in fright.

Suddenly there was a voice from outside the hole. "Excuse me," it said, "Is everything all right?"

Seras jerked her head to see where the voice came from, but her captor said calmly "It's nothing, drive on." And then the hole began to rattle harder. Seras hadn't noticed the shaking before, but now that she thought about it, it was the whole time.

Seeing her puzzled expression, her captor chuckled. "Carriages are a convenient way to get around..." He looked at her as a predator looks at its prey, "Especially when carrying such _precious_ cargo."

Seals do not wear clothes, their pelts being more than sufficient, and so Seras had never developed a sense of modesty over her nude body. However, the hungry look in his eyes made her very suspicious of his intentions. She sank further back into her pelts, glared into his eyes and growled warningly.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you Seal Girl," her captor said, a little sternly. He then smirked, "Besides, you needn't worry. We have already reached our destination."

Seras watched through the small opening as the world slowly came to a stop, and a great mountain came into view. Outside there was the sound of footsteps against small rocks, which she strained her ears to make out (her senses weren't as sharp as they used to be) and then the cave wall suddenly burst open. She yelped and fell back.

Her captor chuckled again, and then lifted her into his arms, pelts and all, as easily as if she were a sac of feathers. "Why so nervous Seal Girl?" he cooed mockingly, nipping her ear. She growled lightly, but otherwise let him do as he pleased.

He carried her toward the small mountain, which she now noticed had humans standing under it. Most of them were donned the same, but there were two who caught her eye. One was an elderly male with dark hair and light skin, and the other was a strange genderless with an odd combination of dark skin and light hair. Seras had never seen a human like that before, and she found herself staring. Her captor approached them.

"Welcome home Alucard," the genderless said.

"I have returned, My Master," her captor replied.

The genderless nodded approvingly, and then looked at Seras with cold eyes. They were beautiful; hard like stone, yet blue as the sea after a storm. "Who is she?"

Seras could feel her captor's smirk. "She is my wife."

There was a long silence. The tension in the air was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Seras shifted uncomfortably. Her captor only continued to smirk amusedly.

Finally the genderless spoke, "Walter."

"Yes Ma'am," said the elderly beside her.

"I want you to escort the new girl to the servant's quarters," the genderless said, with a voice that was like ice. "Have her washed and dressed, I don't care how. When she is presentable I expect to see you both in my office. Is that understood?"

"Perfectly, Sir Integra," the elderly, "Walter" said with a small bow.

Seras could now see that all the humans obeyed the dark one. And though Seras still could not for the life of her guess the gender, she knew that "Sir Integra" was in charge, not one to be questioned or disobeyed. In many ways this human was more frightening than her captor.

Seras whimpered slightly as she was lowered to her feet. She was still not used to using her human legs, and nearly fell outright, clutching the orca's coat to steady herself. Her captor chuckled, but the other humans did not react so happily. Sir Integra's eyes were like spears piercing her skin.

The elderly approached. "Shall we, Miss?"

He held out his arm. Seras only stared at it dumbly.

The orca put his hands on her shoulders and said in her ear, "Go with Walter and do as you're told Seal Girl, we'll see each other again."

Seras did not know that he was smirking amusedly as he talked, inspecting Integra's face for any kind of reaction. She only knew that she could not disobey him; she was compelled by a force greater than herself. She whispered "As you wish, My Master." She put her hand on Walter's arm and walked with him on clumsy legs. She allowed herself to be led into the mountain, which she now realized was some sort of giant cave.

"Alucard!" Integra yelled as soon as they were all out of earshot. "In my office, NOW!"

"_YOU IDIOT_!!!" Integra screeched when Alucard finished telling her what happened. "YOU BLUNDERING, BLOCK-HEADED, BUNGLING, BLOOMING, BONE-HEADED _IDIOT_!! YOU _INGRATE_! YOU INCOMEPENT, INCONSIDERATE, INCORRIGIBLE _INGRATE_!"

"Someone's been friendly with the Thesaurus," Alucard smirked.

"_SHUT UP_!" Integra yelled, chucking a thesaurus at his head. "I'm in _no mood_ for your antics today Alucard. Dear God..." She lit a cigar furiously, puffing indignantly. "Do you have any idea what kind of trouble you've just caused, _Servant_? I send you out on one bloody errand and you still manage to come back with some bitch."

"The Seal Girl made the choice for herself," Alucard said carelessly.

"Don't tell me about the bloody Seal Girl!" Integra snapped, throwing a dictionary at him. "I don't care about the Seal Girl! She's just another hungry mouth to feed, dress and civilize. She'll be more trouble than she's worth…" She simmered over her anger for a while, and finally said, in a moderately restrained tone, "What have you done with the pelt?" She held up her hand, "Never mind; don't tell me. I don't want to know. I don't even want to see it. Stash it, hide it, burn it for all I care, just keep it away from me."

This was exactly what Alucard wanted to hear. He bowed low, "As you wish, _My Master_."

Suddenly there was a loud splash and a thump from upstairs, followed by feminine screams and multiple women's chastising. It is the sound one hears from a child throwing a tantrum in the bath.

"So it begins," Integra said dryly, then stood up. She turned to Alucard. "Come, it's time to tame that wild Selkie of yours."

Meanwhile, back at the bath, Seras was behaving in a bad sort. She let them take her to the "bathing room," where she watched them fill a small boat with steaming water. She said good bye to Walter, who said he was getting her "clothes," and let the many women take her pelts off. Seras didn't mind being naked, still having no sense of modesty, but she did mind when they told her to get in. It was filled with bubbles, which both fascinated and frightened her, but the water was piping hot and burned to the touch. They told her it would get cold soon, but forced her into the water anyway.

Seras tried to get out but they pushed her back in, and then insisted on "scrubbing her down." Their many hands reaching for her and the strange instruments they held scared her. Convinced that they wanted to skin her, Seras began to struggle. She growled and slapped the water with her hands, but they only handled her more roughly, which only frightened her more. She tried to duck underwater but they pulled her out, causing her to choke and cough on the bubbles. She kicked and screamed and splashed but they only yelled and slapped her, and began to attack her again. Terrified, realizing that she could not win, Seras began to scream some more.

"You're too loud Seal Girl," said the genderless, and all struggles ceased. "I don't care if you are a Selkie. You're still human, have some manners."

"But...!" Seras rasped. "They...!"

"They work for me," Integra said firmly. "If you cause any more problems I'll have you thrown out, is that quite understood?"

Seras sighed heavily and sank in defeat. Then, raising her head, she said, "I understand... I'm sorry, but where am I?"

"What a clever question. You are at the Hellsing Estate; given your condition this will be your new state of residence from now on. You can forget your old life in the ocean."

Seras stood up in the water, staring bewilderedly. "So you're telling me... You're saying I'm--?"

"I do not let anyone reside under my roof for free," Integra went on. "Though you may be Alucard's 'wife,' he is still my servant and that makes you an even lesser servant; you will obey orders as they are given and carry out tasks as they are handed to you. You will learn how to behave like a proper human being and you will work to earn your keep, come Hell or High Water. Do I make myself clear?"

As Integra spoke, Walter approached Seras, offering her a set of folded clothes. Seras scarcely noticed the lecherous glances Walter and Alucard sent over her unclad body. She let the maids drape a towel over her without a fuss; didn't pay attention as they clucked like mother hens. All she knew was that she was trapped in this wretched body; that this was her life and there was nothing she could do to change it.

She accepted the offered clothes.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Notes: I'm sorry for the eternal wait; you have _no idea_ how difficult it was drawing inspiration for this chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Hellsing or a selkie of my own; since male selkies are philandering bums anyway, I'm kinda glad I don't.

* * *

The first thing Integra noticed about the girl, when she emerged from the water, was how bare and white her torso was; lacking any of the bloody stab wounds Alucard described her as having when they first met. She closed her eyes with impatience as the girl slipped while trying to step out of the tub, clutching one of the maids as they helped her onto the tile. Integra wondered, briefly, how long it would be until the touch of running water would be acid to the girl. She ordered the gentlemen to leave the room, which Walter did diligently.

"Come now, Master," Alucard said, a wide smirk on his face. "There is no part of the Seal Girl that I have not already seen."

"Be that as it may," Integra snapped, "You are in polite society now, and I will not have you harassing my female employees."

"'Harass?' You mistake me, my dear master," Alucard said, "I am merely seeing to it that my wife is treated fairly in her new home. Is it not the duty of every good husband to look out for the well-being of his mate?"

"Just as it is the duty of every cunning fox to see to the whereabouts of his favorite hen," Integra snapped, "And the duty of every servant to obey the instructions of his master when he is commanded of something. You have your orders, now carry them out."

"You are too cruel, master," Alucard said, though he was all smiles.

"Alucard," Integra snapped, her patience gone, "OUT!"

The girl didn't seem to notice a word of this exchange, however; only continued to stare blankly at nothing in particular. She was still visibly depressed over Integra's assertion that she would never see the ocean again, and ceased caring or fighting over anything that was done to her. She lifted her arms obediently as a white gossamer nightgown was lowered over her body, and stood stock still as the maids began to straighten the ruffles around her sleeves and skirt hem.

When the girl was dressed, Integra immediately ordered that she accompany her to her study. The girl was still very uneasy on her feet, and so one of the maids put her arm around her waist to help her stay upright. Integra led the way through the manor, with the girl and the maid trailing closely behind. She could feel Alucard's eyes watching them, and she looked behind her to see if the girl was troubled his presence. But the girl didn't seem to notice anything around her; she only walked with her eyes closed, tears flowing silently from her eyes.

When they made it to the study, Integra instructed the girl to sit down, which the maid helped her with, and Integra sat at her desk. Walter, who had been waiting since the girl's bath, held the chair out for Integra, and lit her cigar once she was seated. She took a deep drag.

"Now," Integra said, in a business-like tone. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions for me."

If the girl heard Integra's statement, she didn't let on that she had. She crinkled her nose at the stench of the cigar, and coughed lightly.

"Stop making faces like that," Integra ordered. "Now, I brought you here to answer any questions you might have; what have you to say?"

But the girl was very quiet, continued to cough her low, quiet coughs, quite like a dog with a respiratory problem.

"Oh, for God's sake," Integra snapped. "Enough of the silent treatment; I have been more than generous with you, the least you can do is offer me some acknowledgement in return."

The girl flinched, but only swayed in her seat. And then, without warning, she threw up in front of Integra's desk.

Integra sprang up angrily, and she and Walter scrambled to keep the mess from soaking into the carpet. The girl only continued to retch helplessly, and the maid desperately held up a handkerchief to keep the next wave of nausea from getting all over her dress. Integra angrily grabbed the handkerchief and tried to save every important document that she could.

"What in the _blazes_ is wrong with you?" Integra screamed. "If you were feeling sick, then why didn't you say anything?"

The girl still didn't answer, only continued to retch as the nurse made her lean over and put her face in a bucket.

"Animals are very good at hiding when they're sick," Alucard said calmly, phasing into the room from the nearby wall. "One does not know until it is too late."

"That is still no excuse!" Integra snapped. "When the girl is not feeling well, I expect her to tell me about it, not ruin my carpets!"

"What are material possessions to a selkie," Alucard said, calmly, "When their only belongings are the pelts on their backs?"

Integra turned on the maid. "Get her out of here; have her cleaned and ready for bed. I'll deal with her later."

While the valets worked to clean up after the girl in the study, the maids worked to clean the girl herself. Remembering the debacle in the bath, they chose instead to wipe her down with warm, clean towels. Still feeling no qualms about being naked—and, in fact, preferring it—Seras allowed them to remove the stained gossamer gown from her body, and replace it with a cleaner, coarser fabric.

Walter came in, after a while, to see how she was doing. Seras still felt very sick, very nauseous. She swayed visibly in her seat, and her face was becoming unusually pale, even for a girl her age. After examining her carefully, Walter asked her flat out how she felt.

"I feel so ill, sir," she said, rather point blank.

"It's only to be expected," Walter said, "You've only been out of the sea for less than a day; the effects were bound to show some time."

"Do you think I'm going to die, Walter?" the girl asked, miserably.

Walter smiled wryly, and shook his head. "No, you won't-at least, not from this. All you need is some tea and a good night's rest."

Seras lay down in her bed obediently, clutching her abdomen painfully. She felt such horrible stomach pains that she didn't know _how_ she would be able to sleep. The tea did nothing to help; in fact, it only made her feel worse (it tasted like boiled grass, of all things!) and so she was instructed to wait it out. But Seras felt so ill, and so weak, that she felt sure that she would never rise again. Within only a few hours, Seras felt so miserable that she almost wished she were dead.

Integra, for her part, was _almost_ wishing the same fate on the girl. Thankfully, her desk and documents were safe, but the carpet was stained something awful, and she would have to pay to replace it later. What bothered Integra the most was that the girl had not even _tried_ to cover her mouth before letting fly on Integra's possessions? She understood that the girl was little more than an animal fresh out of the wild, but for God's sake, did she have to be so careless?

Speaking of animals, Alucard morphed into the room just as Integra went to light another cigar.

"I hope this doesn't become a habit," she said, without looking up. "You and your little toy."

"My toy?" Alucard said, feigning innocence. "The Seal Girl made the choice on her own."

Integra had heard that before. "You had just better train her well, Alucard."

"With pleasure, my master."

"You _know_ what I mean."

At that moment, Integra remembered a bit of paperwork that required her attention.

"Here, take a look at this," She picked up a few newspapers, wanted posters and private letters issued by a sector of Scotland Yard. "We've been tracking some hooligans heading north through Birmingham. They have been murdering whole families; drinking their blood and then using the leftovers to scrawl blasphemous messages on the walls. We are assuming there is at least two of them."

Alucard shrugged, "And what am I to do about this, master?"

"I expect you to take them down before night's end; is that clear?"

Alucard sighed wistfully. "They don't make vampires like they used to."

Integra cocked an eyebrow. "Is that why you decided to take matters into your own hands?"

"Now, when have I created another vampire?" Alucard challenged playfully.

"Don't play coy," Integra said, "You and I both know it is only a matter of time before your blood does her in."

Alucard only smirked.

Integra knew all about what happened that night, mostly from Alucard's forced testimony, but also from putting two and two together. Integra knew that there was no way the girl would be able to heal from her many stab wounds without supernatural intervention-though she was supernatural, selkies were not known for their extraordinary healing abilities. Her afternoon spent in daylight and bathwater proved the girl's humanity, but Integra knew that it was only a matter of time before her next condition would make itself know.

"How long does she have," Integra asked, after a spell, "before your blood takes over?"

"That depends," Alucard answered, deliberately ambiguously, "on the seal girl's will to live."

"If that's the case," Integra said, impatiently, "she'll be dead by dawn."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Alucard said, "It is the Seal Girl's will to live that brought her here."

"As long as she learns to get along well," Integra said, "I have no issues."

"Oh, but you do," Alucard said, "You wish she really were there at the bottom of the sea."

"There's no helping that now," Integra snapped, glaring at Alucard pointedly. "What's done is done, and she is _our_ responsibility now. Taunt me all you want, it is _you_ who will teach her how to fill her place in Hellsing, and you will train her to be the way _I _want, _not_ what you want."

"Well," Alucard said, "until tomorrow then."

He backed into a shadow portal, and was gone.

Integra stared after him for a moment, startled by his sudden exit. She had expected him to put up a fight, or challenge her authority with his insidious statements; _something_. She eventually noticed that her cigar had almost gone out, and she quickly snuffed it in her glass ashtray.

It would be difficult running Hellsing, she decided, with two wild animals running about.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Notes: And now, a nice little actiony chapter with rip-off scenes from the Black Stallion, because I can.

Disclaimer: I do not own Hellsing, a selkie, or a black stallion. Or a vampire either; too troublesome.

* * *

Being around the seal girl constantly reminded Integra of her first encounter with the sea.

Integra first encountered the ocean aboard a passenger ship in London Harbor ten years earlier; she sailed with her father and uncle first across the English Channel and then the Atlantic for a much-anticipated business trip to the Americas. Since Integra was tutored by her father, he could not bear to part with her for that time, and so he decided that she would come along with them while he continued to overlook her studies.

Integra spent a great part of the voyage in her cabin, reading the books her father assigned for her and writing her progress in her journal . . . at least, when she wasn't fighting seasickness. When her father wasn't drinking or playing cards with the other gentlemen aboard the ship, he saw to his daughter's studies, checking for facts and spelling errors alike. Her uncle often brooded and avoided them in favor a few new business associates.

Since Integra had not been properly socialized at home, she was rather nervous about being cramped on a relatively small ship with so many passengers. She simpered and curtsied when anyone tried to talk to her, (and managed to blush when her father showed her off to his card buddies) but otherwise kept her head down and tried to keep out of the way.

It was during one such afternoon that Integra encountered her first companion out at sea.

She was standing alone on deck, looking out at the ocean, when she heard a commotion from below deck. After she went down to investigate, she noticed half a dozen crewmen struggling with a tall, muscular madman with long, white-blonde hair. He wore a variation of the lunatic's straight jacket, with countless black leather straps and buckles from all over his body, his long arms fastened behind his back, but his long legs free to strike out at anything that moved.

Some of the buckles were loose enough that the crewmen were able to hold the straps that were undone, and they pulled them taut in every direction so the madman could not get close to them. She noticed the second mate striking at the madman over and over with a bullwhip, and two other crewmen jabbing at him with what must have been hot pokers, since sizzled when they touched his skin. It was like they were herding a wild stallion.

In the midst of the struggles, the madman suddenly caught her eye, smirked wickedly, and then began struggling harder, as though to show off to her.

Eventually the crewmen were able to force the madman into an empty room just above the brig, and the second mate followed him inside, whipping violently as he did. For a while, Integra only heard the cracks of the bullwhip and clatters of the madman's violent kicks, until the crewmen began to panic and withdrew the second mate, who was now bloody and injured, and they hastily locked the heavy wooden door behind them.

At that moment, one of the crewmen noticed Integra staring from afar, and he grunted, "What are you doing here?"

Integra snapped out of her trance, and immediately ran like mad upstairs into her cabin and slammed the door behind her.

If she had thought the crew would follow her and try to swear her to secrecy over what she witnessed, she was mistaken. A whole afternoon passed, and nothing happened. When she tried to tell her father about it the next night while he was mooning over his winnings, however, he only smiled pooh-pooh.

"It must have been a fantastic dream brought about by your sea-sickness," he said. "With a good cup of tea, you shan't have such nightmares again."

"I don't think it was a dream, Father," Integra said, "Several crewmen were there trying to control him, and I could feel the walls vibrate as he kicked."

"You have quite an active imagination," her father persisted. "If you were to put that creativity into writing, you should be a great novelist in no time."

"Father, I didn't imagine it," Integra insisted, "He held my gaze while he was struggling, didn't I tell you? His eyes were glowing red and his teeth were sharp and white; it was so frightful, I couldn't have imagined it. I couldn't have fathomed it. I think he's there, below deck."

"Nonsense," her father said. He seemed a little uneasy for a moment, but then went on more briskly. "We have been doing research on vampires lately; you must have been projecting your studies onto your dreams and observations. Come, see this beautiful jade necklace I won in tonight's game."

If Arthur Hellsing expected Integra to forget about the madman by telling her she imagined it, or trying to distract her with pretty jewelry, he took the wrong approach. Determined to prove _him_ wrong, Integra snuck below deck the next day, when there was no one standing guard at the door, and stood on tip toe to peek inside the metal barred window.

She was disappointed by how dark it was, but was soon startled by the madman's red eyes and Cheshire cat grin glinting at her from the shadows.

Integra started back, and immediately fell into the arms of her angry uncle. Richard grabbed her shoulders hard and slammed her into the wall, shaking her savagely. "What the hell do you think you're doing here, Integra?" Richard hissed.

"I-I'm sorry Uncle," Integra whispered tearfully.

"This place is off-limits to civilians!" Richard hissed savagely, and he grabbed her ear and yanked hard. "What is in that room is private! And not meant to be snooped into by a common galley rat!"

"I know Uncle," Integra cried, "I'm sorry!"

At that moment, the great white gloved hand of the madman reached out of the barred window of the door and cupped the side of Richard's head.

Richard yelped while Integra screamed and they both flew back. Richard then reached for his whip and Integra dashed for the deck.

"Remember not to tell anyone what you saw!" her uncle yelled menacingly, before the corridor was filled with the cracks of the whip.

Integra was terrified, and resolved not to go near the madman again; though simply knowing he was there frightened her terribly.

Of course, being in such close proximity with the madman made it so Integra really couldn't avoid him entirely. But because of the violent warning, her fear and self-consciousness, Integra rarely ventured to explore the ship from then on, determined to stay out of trouble and enjoy a relatively safe and event-free voyage.

Unfortunately, this was not what was fated to happen.

Shortly after Integra's encounter with the madman, a strange endemic broke through the passengers of the ship. There were no signs or symptoms except for chronic fatigue, drowsiness, seasickness, and anemia. This in of itself would not have been a bad thing, except that most of the patients complained of seizures and nightmares, and continual rest did not ease their suffering, but only deepened it. As it was, several crewmen and even a few passengers had been permanently bedridden by the ailment, too weak to even sit up, and they all expired quickly from it. The sickness then spread rapidly to over two thirds of the passengers.

The endemic became known as the Sleeping Death.

Integra was convinced it was the work of the madman below deck, and was determined to do something about it (despite her uncle's warning), until her father suddenly fell ill with the opportunistic illness that spread in the wake of the chronic fatigue: typhus. At the start of their next tutoring session, her father suddenly coughed blood, and brought everyone in the ship down with fear of consumption.

Poor Integra was subjected to forced quarantine in her cabin by her uncle when the scare broke out, and was not let out until her father was on his death bed.

After it was made clear that Arthur was to the point of no return, Integra's uncle encouraged her to be near him at all times, to sit by his bed, hold his hand and lean in closer to his face when he tried to whisper some urgent but delirious instructions to her.

"Integra, listen well," he wheezed, "Once I am gone, you will be the new head of the family . . ." he ignored the disapproving murmurs from the gentlemen around the room. "You will be in charge of the Hellsing Organization . . . England, and the Protestant Church, will be yours to defend against outside forces. . ."

"Yes, Father," she said, with tears in her eyes.

"Integra," Arthur rasped, "This is not how I wanted to end it . . . especially not on a boat like this. . ." he coughed," Oh, there were still so many things I wanted to teach you. I wanted to keep watching over and taking pride . . . in the Hellsing blood that flows through you . . ."

"Richard, please, I beg of you," He reached a shaking, imploring hand toward his brother. "Once you're in port, take Integra home, as head of the family . . . Give Integra your support for me. . ."

"Of course, Brother," Richard said, calm as could be.

Arthur seemed to relax at this, and Integra almost hoped he would get better.

But then he coughed blood onto his pillow, and the consumption took him forever.

Three days passed thus with Integra away from her father. The ship sailed on, the Sleeping Death and the Romantic Death grew more menacing, and her uncle remained aloof. Her father received a hero's burial out at sea, not the least because of his noble bloodline and knighthood, and Integra cried in her cabin when it was over.

The weather grew darker and stormier as the days passed. The waves grew steadily choppier, the wind grew stronger, the rain came down harder, and the clouds grew thicker and heavier with each passing hour. By the third night, the turbulence culminated into a fearful tempest that threatened to turn the ship over.

Integra woke on such a night from being thrown from her bed by the ship's sudden surge. Almost instantly she heard the panicked screams of people outside, as well as the dull groan of the ship as it was tossed back and forth by the thunderous wind, rain and waves. Integra got out of her cabin to find a scene of utter chaos.

The ship was on fire, and the passengers were running in a panic outside. The wind and the rain were coming down fiercely, the giant waves continually crashed onto the deck with enough force to practically flood the ship each time they hit, and passengers and crewmen alike were scrambling around like fire ants after their anthill was crushed. People pushed and shoved at Integra as they ran, no one paying her the least bit of mind, and scrambled to get the life boats out to save themselves.

Not that it really mattered; the sea was choppy enough to toss the passenger ship around like a toy boat, much less a measly life boat.

In the midst of the chaos, Integra wondered if she should free the madman. The fire was obviously coming from below deck (perhaps the result of a spilled oil lamp) since the storm was doing little to dampen it, and the ship was leaning heavily to one side, telling her it was going to sink. Despite her misgivings about his character, Integra wondered if she could in good conscious leave him locked up to burn or drown, without giving him the chance to save himself.

At that moment, she noticed her uncle and several gentlemen dressed in black weaving through the panicked crowd in search of something, and she knew instantly they were looking to for her. She didn't even need to hear the following dialogue from her uncle (who was standing a few feet away, but didn't notice her in the commotion) to know what their intentions were.

"Have you found her yet?" her uncle barked over the storm.

"No Sir," one of them answered, "She still hasn't come out."

"Well, flush her out then! Get to it!"

Integra ducked behind a barrel as they ran past.

"Twenty years!" her uncle barked, "Twenty years I've waited for his demise! Like hell I'll ever let a little brat like that take the family headship from me! Hellsing is _mine_!"

Integra could hardly believe it. Here they were, about to die on a sinking ship in the middle of a storm, and all her uncle could think about was doing her in!

"It don't really matter in the least, sir," one of his goons said, "In a storm like this, she's bound to sink with the rest of the crew."

"Not with the 'women and children first' policy, she won't!" Richard barked petulantly, "I can't afford to have her telling anyone who she is! Now find her! Once you do, 'take care of her,' on sight! With disaster being the way it is, who's to say a child won't fall overboard or drown? If we can just keep this quiet, we can do as we please. Now go!"

As the goons spread out to search for her on deck, Integra knew she had no choice but to retreat into the narrow corridors below deck. Part of her still felt she could make it to the life boat if she moved fast enough, but she couldn't leave the madman as trapped as she was to die. She just couldn't do that to another person.

Resolve flooded Integra, and she retreated down into the burning corridor below deck. The ship was rocking terribly, to the point that the walls turned into the floors and visa-versa, and the hallway flooded with smoke and seawater so terribly that she feared she would burn, suffocate or drown any moment, but she really had no choice. With Richard and his goons searching for her above deck, and the passengers so hell-bent on saving themselves that they would not stop to help her even if she asked, all she could do was rely on the goodwill of the madman to save her.

When Integra finally reached the heavy wooden doors, she hesitated a moment; but then saw the glowing Cheshire cat grin, and heard the madman whisper in a slithery, seductive baritone, "I know you don't want to die tonight." She set her face in determination, and threw the heavy wooden doors open.

At the same moment, her uncle and his goons gained in from behind her.

"There you are!" her uncle snapped, "You've been quite a bother, Integra!"

"Uncle!" Integra cried, "Do you really lust after the family headship that badly? So much that you're willing too-"

Richard pounded her across the face. "Shut up!" he snapped, "Like hell I'd ever give Hellsing over to some brat like you!"

Without any further ceremony, he shot her on the shoulder with his pistol. Integra screamed and fell down, partly because the floor swerved up to meet her. The blood then splattered on the face of the madman, who lapped it up, freed his arms in one large tug, and began tearing the henchmen limp from limb.

Integra didn't sit and wait for him to kill her too; she began _climbing_ toward the deck as fast as she could. The corridors were practically horizontal now, the ship was sinking so fast, and this made the climb more difficult, but Integra was determined to make it above deck before madman caught her, the ship flooded or she drowned.

She made it above deck to find the ship was slanted at a dangerous angle, with only half the crew and passengers left, but still in as much panic as ever. The bloody screams and sick squishy sounds told her before she looked that the madman had followed her, and was killing any passenger he happened across.

One man tried to grab Integra in the confusion, but his head was crushed against the wall by the madman's extended leg, causing blood to splatter everywhere. The madman did not move after this; simply stood there with his leg still pressed against the wall by Integra's head, which she tried to sink into. He loomed over her; tall, dark and menacing, and leaned toward her with an unreadable expression.

In the next moment, a giant wave swept Integra off deck, and she soon found herself submerged completely in cold, choppy water.

Her conventional clothes made it difficult to rise, but when she finally emerged, coughing and sputtering, she found that she was indeed right beside the burning, screaming ship, which was sinking fast. There were many holes that caused the water to flow into the hull, it turned out, and Integra soon found herself being pulled down by the suction of the sinking ship.

In the corner of her eye she could see the madman dive into the water, and she noticed him gliding toward her like a shark gliding toward its prey. She was terrified of him, there was no mistake about that, but she was even more terrified of drowning, and she tried desperately to make it back to the surface.

As it turned out, the madman did not swim _to_ her, but rather curved right beside her, and she could feel his long, loose leather straps brushing against her knuckles in the water, and she clutched desperately onto one of them. The laws of physics did not seem to apply to him, and the madman began swimming toward the surface with his long, powerful limbs, taking the drowning girl with him.

When her head broke through the surface, Integra gasped and sputtered, and continued to hold on as the madman dragged her through the choppy water and away from the half-submerged ship. In the next moment she could feel a firm hand grabbing her scruff and pulling her out of the water like a kitten out of the bath, and being set down on a hard, wooden surface.

So desperately thankful for a solid foundation that she hardly cared, Integra collapsed onto her stomach and became gulping, gasping and coughing desperately at fresh air, no longer having to worry about choking or swallowing rogue waves anymore.

When the worst of her suffocation was over, Integra found that she was on the front end of a life boat, which was about twelve feet long, and to the rear was the madman, who was looking up at her from the water with glowing eyes. He climbed onto the lifeboat, and began walking toward her briskly. His soaked leather boots creaked ominously against the wooden floor, and his unreadable red eyes held contact with her every step of the way.

Too exhausted to move, Integra braced herself for death; when the madman suddenly stopped and kneeled before her.

"I hope you have not sustained any injuries," he said courteously, much to Integra's shock. "It was very difficult leading you to safety, with the storm going on the way it does. What are your orders, my master?"

Integra could hardly believe what she was hearing. After everything that had happened that night, she ought to be used to surprises, but this was the most shocking of all. She knew this creature was a vampire, the Hellsing family's sworn enemy. _What_, then, was a vampire doing out in a passenger ship the middle of the ocean? How could he survive being out crossing running water? Why did he refer to her as "master?" What were her father and her uncle hiding?

Speaking of her uncle, he came drifting toward them, clutching a wooden crate, with one of his hands sliced off and obviously bleeding horribly.

"H-Hellsing is mine. . ." he was literally trembling with hysteria and rage, "HELLSING IS MINE!"

He tried to impale Integra with a harpoon (of all things!) but the madman shot his arm in front of her face and took the hit without even flinching.

"Your blood _stinks_," he said, "It reeks to High Heaven! You are _unfit_ to be the Hellsing family leader!"

"And just who the _hell_ are you to say that?" her uncle snapped, and Integra knew her uncle knew nothing.

She grabbed the harpoon from the madman's arm and poised it above her uncle's head, knowing that blood loss would probably take him anyway, but she could not risk any more tricks on his part; she had to do what she had to do. She was a changed girl from then on.

As the smoke billowed out from the now-quenched ship, Integra ventured to ask, "What is your name?"

After a long pause, the madman finally whispered, "Your father, my master, called me. . ."

The image of what happened next would remain in Integra's memory forever, of the madman kneeling before her faithfully, of the two of them sitting alone on a rogue lifeboat, with the now-calm sea and the night surrounding them, with the smoke billowing from the burnt ship as it sank beside them.

"_Alucard_."

Integra was pulled back into the present day when she heard the seal girl dive for her food and start shoveling it in her mouth with loud CHOMP! CHOMP! CHOMP! noises that could give even deaf people headaches. Thankfully, Walter pulled her plate away immediately.

"No, no, _stop_ using your hands," Alucard said sternly, "Forget all the habits you learned as a seal."

"Yes Master. . ." Seras whispered nervously. She didn't have the heart to tell him she never used her hands as a seal, because she didn't have any.

"Use the eating utensils we've provided for you," Alucard went on. "If you continue to _eat_ the same way animals do, you will only _live_ like they do."

That seemed like a fine bargain to Seras, since she never did want the life of a human, but she wouldn't dare tell her master. She couldn't go back to the sea now, unfortunately, and Walter helpfully told her that being an animal on land meant she would live outside. Seras didn't want to go out there; there were dozens of scary bottom-dwellers eating the plants, and she didn't want to be alone with them. Who knew which ones were carnivores?

"Now, do this again," Alucard said. "Use the eating utensils we've provided for you, and don't spill."

"Yes Master," Seras said, with some attitude. They had to do this every time, and she hadn't eaten for days.

Before she could eat, Walter withdrew the plate, and she wouldn't get it back until she said 'yes' more politely. It was enough to make her want to cry.

After several minutes of this, Walter had another brilliant idea, and dining became all the more difficult for Seras.

"Why do I have to do this again?" she asked, after her shoulders had been tied to the back of the chair with a silk scarf.

"It is to help you sit up straight," Walter said, replacing the many forks in their proper places. "So you don't slouch in front of your food like a barbarian."

"Yes, b-but _why_ do I have to learn?" Seras pressed. "I'm not going to sit with Sir Integra during meal times, right? So _why_ do I have to learn?"

"Because even servants have standards," Walter said, "When you sit down to eat with your peers, which will inevitably happen, you must be able to sit at the table at least like a human being, and eat like a human being, so as to not make them nauseous with your atrocious table manners."

"B-but I don't _want_ to eat with anyone," Seras complained, thinking of her old life. "They'll try to take my food."

"Trust me Selkie," Walter said, looking at the mashed pulp on her plate. "That will never happen. Now, let us try again."

Seras sighed wearily, and accidentally scraped the plate by stabbing her fork harder than necessary. It was going to be a long night.

Integra was seated on the other side of the dining table, reading the evening paper. She slowly came out of her revere as Seras struggled to grab a salt shaker that was just out of reach, accidentally knocking it over, and desperate to sling some over her shoulder, but Integra didn't see any of it since her mind was still in the past.

"It's been nearly ten years since then . . ." she whispered.

"Hmm," Alucard said, "My, that's a rarity. Integra has lost herself in memories."

"Yes," Integra said calmly, folding her paper. "I'm not above such a thing. I was just thinking back to what happened ten years ago."

"Oh, you mean _then_," Alucard said, his face the very picture of distaste. "You were still just a little girl back then."

"Was. . . still . . . _then_?" Integra was twitching with annoyance. "Pray, how do you see me now?"

"Maybe like one of those sea hags?" Seras said helpfully. "Nah, more like a strange genderless."

Sea hags were actually quite beautiful when they were young, but Integra, being a woman of land, didn't know this, and she flew into quite a temper.

"Our new little sea-dwelling trollop has quite the mouth!"

"Why don't you just put garlic in her food from now on?"

"Ahh!" Seras cried, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"What do I look like, the kraken?"

"There is a passing resemblance."

"Blooming idiots, the both of you!"

* * *

Things are looking up, looking down.


End file.
